


The Mysterious Shadow

by orphan_account



Category: Arrow (TV 2012), The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Barry Allen is the Black Flash, Flashpoint Didn't Happen (DCU), Gen, Not Really Character Death
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-29
Updated: 2019-06-29
Packaged: 2020-05-29 16:21:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19404004
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Barry Allen was killed one year ago after an attempt to get his powers back went wrong. As Central City recovers from the Flash's death, a new speedster comes to town: Jesse Quick. Taking up the Flash's mantle, Jesse vows to live up to the speedster's legacy.Oliver was never one to believe in an after life, but when a mysterious shadow keeps appearing to him, he has to wonder: is Barry Allen really gone?





	The Mysterious Shadow

**Author's Note:**

> The Flash and Arrow are both owned by the CW.  
>  **Things you should know about this AU:  
>  Barry died during the Team's attempt to get his powers back.  
> Because Barry died before the race, Zoom saw no reason to kill Henry, since the only reason why Henry was killed in the first place was to break Barry.  
> Because Barry died, there was no Flashpoint event.  
> Dante is still very much alive in this AU, as I saw no reason to kill him off.  
> Barry becomes the Black Flash here, instead of Zoom.**

When he sleeps, the Black Flash dreams. The first dream he had; he was in some sort of machine. He was wearing a similar suit, but this one was red. He starts writhing in the machine. His body was being broken apart, and he screams. He hears a female voice call the name Barry. When Black Flash wakes up, he’s in a cottage this time.

The speedforce slowly walks up to him. Black Flash recognizes the form it was taking from the various dreams he’s been having. It had decided to disguise itself as Harry today.

“Your job is to retrieve the speedster known as Zoom from Earth-one.” It informs. Black Flash nods and runs, leaving the speed force in his wake. It finds Zoom surrounding some sort of machine, as well as the people from his dreams. Oliver Queen, Cisco Ramon, Joe West, Jesse Wells, Iris West, Wally West, Harry Wells, and Caitlin Snow.

“Your precious Flash isn’t here to race me anymore! Bet you wish you’d have let him race me while he had the chance now!” Zoom smirks.

“You son of a _bitch_! He’s dead!” Joe shouts. Zoom smirks.

“And who do we have to blame for that, hmm?”

Oliver’s hand reaches for his bow. He puts an arrow inside and aims it at the speedster.

“What the _hell_ do you want?” He demands. Zoom laughs.

“You already know what I want. A race around the magnetar, but oh no. You managed to get The Flash killed a year ago.”

Jesse runs up to Zoom, and he laughs.

“Well, well, well. This is quite the development.” Zoom smirks.

“You want a race? Race me asshole!” Jesse demands. Wally’s face pales.

“Jesse! No! You don’t have to do this!” He pleads.

“I’m sorry Wally, but I have to. This ends tonight. He’s already killed so many people, I can’t let him kill anymore. So, what are the rules?” She asks.

“One lap, around the loop. We both use our top speed. Winner saves the multiverse.” Zoom answers.

“Fine. Let’s just get this over with.” Jesse says. Soon enough, the race starts. Jesse was keeping up with him at first, until she was distracted by a bright light in the sky.

“She’s not fast enough!” Cisco realizes.

“Come on Jess keep up!” Wally pleads.

Oliver almost reached for his bow, until he remembered the rules. He couldn’t help her. _Damn it!_

Everyone’s eyes widened when a second Jesse appeared in the race.

“Which one’s Jesse?” Iris asks.

“They both are!” Harry realizes. They all stared in confusion when the second Jesse starts running backwards.

“What’s the other Jesse doing?” Caitlin asks.

“She’s creating her own pulse!” Oliver realizes.

“Why the hell would she _do_ that?” Cisco asks.

“Because, if that’s outta phase, the device will cancel itself out!” Harry realizes.

“Wait her body can’t handle that!” Caitlin panics.

“Then what’s gonna happen?” Joe asks, afraid of the answer.

“She’ll die.” Harry realizes. He feels sick. As Jesse’s time remnant ran, she screams. She could feel herself being burned alive. Soon enough, all that was left of the remnant was an empty suit. When Jesse’s time remnant dies, The Black Flash comes into action. Everyone’s eyes widened when a mysterious speedster donning a black suit comes into the picture. Yellow lightning trailed behind the speedster.

“What the hell is _that_?” Cisco asks.

“I have no idea.” Joe says. The Black Flash runs over to Zoom, touching his neck with a black glove. Zoom starts gasping for air as the life was sucked out of him.

“Please… I’m… so—”

The Black Flash watches as he takes his last breath. Draping Zoom over his shoulder, Black Flash runs back into the speed force, throwing the speedster inside. He looks up when the Speedforce approaches him.

“Good job today.” The speed force says as it walks up to the Black Flash.

“Can we ask you something?”

The Black Flash blinks.

“Why do you only leave the speedforce when we summon you?” The speedforce asks. The Black Flash shrugs.

“I didn’t see any reason to.” He answers. His voice was raspy. He hadn’t used it in almost a year. He saw no reason to use it. The speedforce frowns.

“Do you know your name?” It asks.

“Barry Allen. Why?” Black Flash asks.

“Why haven’t you tried to visit your friends, or family yet?” The speedforce asks.

“Because they’re grieving. They only lost me a year ago, and they blame themselves for my death. If they knew that I was like this, they would feel even more guilty.” Barry answers. As the speed force’s reaper, he didn’t age. Since he was dead now, it’s not like he could die twice. As a reaper, he’s allowed to travel through time, if he was doing it to bring a speedster back to the speed force.

Barry didn’t know how to feel about his new immortality. Or the fact that he was, well, dead. When he first woke up as the Black Flash, his memories were nonexistent. He was nothing more than an empty shell. When he slept, he dreamed. Of people, and places he had never been. These dreams were comforting. It showed that he had been someone once.

That he was loved by someone. He didn’t regain his memories until a year after he woke up. He frowns when the speed force approaches him.

“We have another job for you.” It says.

“Who is it this time?” Barry asks.

“A time remnant of Jesse Chambers Wells.” It answers. Barry feels his heart breaking.

“She… she… what about the other Jesse?” He asks hesitantly.

“She is alive and well and has been returned to her father.” The speedforce answers. Barry runs out of the speed force after that, and to the last known location of the time remnant. When he gets there, he freezes. Harry was on the ground in tears. Jesse walks up to her dad and hugs him.

“Hey, hey! Dad, dad, look at me. Look at me. I’m still here, okay? I’m okay. I know you just watched my remnant die, but I’m okay.” She says. Harry hugs her as tight as he can. God, that was awful.


End file.
